30 THE ORNITHOLOGISTS’ AND OOLOGISTS’ SEMI-ANNUAL. 
THE NIGHTHAWK. 
Chordeiles virginianus. 
BY L. O. PINDAR, HICKMAN, KY., Pres. Y. O. A. 
The Nighthawk, almost universally called “Bullbat’” and sometimes 
“‘Whip-poor-will” and “Goatsucker,” is a common migrant here in 
Kentucky, arriving early in May and September. 
In the spring migrations, usually 
three or four are seen some evening 
about seven o’clock ; two or three 
days later more are seen, and as a 
tule, it is a week before they become 
common. ‘Then they commence to 
leave, getting scarcer every night, 
till all are gone. 
In the fall it is different. They 
: generally arrive in a body, earlier in 
NIGHTHAWK, on the day, and they go on through. 
There is no ‘‘stop for refreshments.”’ 
Only a few laggards are seen for a day or two following, and then all 
are gone. 
One fall, I think it was in 1887, two large flocks, containing 
together at least three hundred individuals, made their appearance 
about four o’clock in the afternoon of a rainy, disagreeable day. 
They kept in a rather compact body, and moved steadily south- 
ward, only occasionally would one make a clash to one side and 
immediately return to the ranks. In half an hour, yes! in twenty 
minutes, they had passed out of sight. One was seen the next day, 
flying about in a desultory way ; but he too disappeared and no more 
were seen till the next spring. 
People outside of Ornithological circles seem to’ know nothing of the 
habits of this bird (we Ornithologists don’t know much.) The name 
“Goatsucker’ alludes to a superstition implied in the name. And 
those who call it ““Whip-poor-will” confound it with another bird, of 
widely different appearance when closely examined. The name“hawk’” 
is a misnomer (I told a boy the ‘‘Bullbat” was a Nighthawk, and he 
wanted to know if it would kill chickens.) 
